His Beatitude [[Metropolitan]] '''Wasyly (Fedak) of Winnipeg''' ([[November 1]], 1909 - [[January 10]], 2005) was the [[primate]] of the [[Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada]] (UOCC) from 1985 until his death in 2005.

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His Beatitude [[Metropolitan]] '''Wasyly (Fedak) of Winnipeg''' ([[November 1]], 1909 - [[January 10]], 2005) was the [[primate]] of the [[Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada]] (UOCC) from 1985 until his death in 2005. Metropolitan Wasyly was the fourth metropolitan of the UOCC.

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Metropolitan Wasyly was born Wasyl’ Fedak on November 1, 1909, in Kadobivtsy, Ukraine. Together with his parents and five siblings, he immigrated to Canada and settled in Sheho, Saskatchewan. In young adulthood, he became a teacher, a career that lasted 14 years. He then studied at a seminary of the UOCC from 1941 to 1944. He was ordained to the [[deacon|diaconate]] on September 27, 1944 and shortly thereafter into the [[priest]]hood on October 1. As a priest, he served parishes in Manitoba and Ontario. In 1951, he arrived in Hamilton, Ontario to serve the parish of [[Vladimir of Kiev|St. Vladimir]]. He served this parish for 29 years, seeing the parish grow from 47 to 500 families.

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==Early life and Priesthood==

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Metropolitan Wasyly was born Wasyl' Fedak on November 1, 1909, in Kadobivtsy, Ukraine. Together with his parents and five siblings, he immigrated to Canada and settled in Sheho, Saskatchewan. In young adulthood, he became a teacher, a career that lasted 14 years. He then studied at the UOCC's [[seminary]] in Winnipeg ([[St. Andrew's College (Winnipeg, Manitoba)]]) from 1941 to 1944. He was [[ordination|ordained]] to the [[deacon|diaconate]] on September 27, 1944 and shortly thereafter into the [[priest]]hood on October 1. As a priest, he served [[parish]]es in Manitoba and Ontario, at first, but then in 1951 he arrived in Hamilton, Ontario. In Hamilton he served the Sobor church of [[Vladimir of Kiev|St. Vladimir]]. He served this parish for 29 years, seeing the parish grow from 47 to 500 families.

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His wife, Paraskeviya Tymofij, whom he married in 1932, died in April 1976. Two years later, an Extraordinary [[Sobor]] (general council) of the UOCC elected him as its candidate for bishop. On [[July 16]], 1978, he was consecrated as the Bishop of Saskatoon at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Winnipeg by Metropolitan Andrew, Archbishop Boris, and Bishop Mykolaj. Following the death of then Archbishop Mykolaj in 1981, Bishop Wasyly became the acting Bishop of the Eastern Eparchy. He was elevated to Archbishop of Toronto in 1983. Then in 1985, the 17th Sobor of the UOCC selected Wasyly to be its Metropolitan and Primate with the honorific "His Beatitude," and he will be the last Hierarch to hold that title in the UOCC, as decided by His All Holiness [[Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople|Patriarch Bartholemew I]]. As Primate, he was the spiritual leader of the Ukrianian Orthodox Church of Canada and chancellor of its seminary, [[St. Andrew's College (Winnipeg, Manitoba)|St. Andrew's College]].

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==Episcopacy==

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His wife, Paraskeviya Tymofij, whom he married in 1932, died in April 1976. Two years later, an extraordinary [[sobor]] (Church Council) of the UOCC elected him as its candidate for [[bishop]]. On [[July 16]], 1978, he was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] as the Bishop of Saskatoon at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Winnipeg by Metropolitan Andrew, Archbishop Boris, and Bishop Nicholas. Following the death of then [[Archbishop]] Nicholas in 1981, Bishop Wasyly became the acting Bishop of the Eastern Eparchy. He was elevated to Archbishop of Toronto in 1983. Then in 1985, the 17th Sobor of the UOCC selected Wasyly to be its Metropolitan and Primate with the honorific "His Beatitude," and he will be the last Hierarch to hold that title in the UOCC, as only Primates of Autocephalous and Autonomous Churches traditionally hold that title. As Primate, he was the spiritual leader of the Ukrianian Orthodox Church of Canada and [[chancellor]] of its seminary, [[St. Andrew's College (Winnipeg, Manitoba)|St. Andrew's College]]. He was known to be very close with the Church's youth, who affectionatly called him "the Met." He was a strong leader who was known to be very kind, and he had something in common with all of the Church's membership throughout the country (due to the fact that he was born in Ukraine, grew up in Saskatchewan, and was a parish priest in Ontario for over 30 years).

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Under the leadership of Metropolitan Wasyly, the UOCC came into [[full communion]] with the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]] in 1990. In [[1993]], he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.

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Under the leadership of Metropolitan Wasyly, the UOCC came into [[full communion]] with the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]] in 1990. In 1993, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.

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Metropolitan Wasyly reposed on [[January 10]], 2005, and his funeral took place on January 21-22 at Holy Trinity Metropolitan Cathedral in Winnipeg. He is buried at Glen Eden Cemetery. With his wife Parskeviya (who reposed in the 1970s), he had three sons: Eugene (who has served on the church's consistory board twice), Yaroslaw and Emil.

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==Repose==

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Metropolitan Wasyly reposed on [[January 10]], 2005, and his funeral took place on January 21-22 at Holy Trinity Metropolitan Cathedral in Winnipeg. There were many Orthodox Christians of many nationalities who attended the funeral services, including eight bishops. Of note were the appearances of His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago, who represented Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, and His Eminince Archbishop Mark of Suma (UOC-MP) as the official representitive of Patriarch Aleksy II and the Moscow Patriarchate. He is buried at Glen Eden Cemetery. He had three sons with his wife Parskeviya: Eugene (who has served on the Church's consistory board twice), Yaroslaw and Emil.

Contents

Early life and Priesthood

Metropolitan Wasyly was born Wasyl' Fedak on November 1, 1909, in Kadobivtsy, Ukraine. Together with his parents and five siblings, he immigrated to Canada and settled in Sheho, Saskatchewan. In young adulthood, he became a teacher, a career that lasted 14 years. He then studied at the UOCC's seminary in Winnipeg (St. Andrew's College (Winnipeg, Manitoba)) from 1941 to 1944. He was ordained to the diaconate on September 27, 1944 and shortly thereafter into the priesthood on October 1. As a priest, he served parishes in Manitoba and Ontario, at first, but then in 1951 he arrived in Hamilton, Ontario. In Hamilton he served the Sobor church of St. Vladimir. He served this parish for 29 years, seeing the parish grow from 47 to 500 families.

Episcopacy

His wife, Paraskeviya Tymofij, whom he married in 1932, died in April 1976. Two years later, an extraordinary sobor (Church Council) of the UOCC elected him as its candidate for bishop. On July 16, 1978, he was consecrated as the Bishop of Saskatoon at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Winnipeg by Metropolitan Andrew, Archbishop Boris, and Bishop Nicholas. Following the death of then Archbishop Nicholas in 1981, Bishop Wasyly became the acting Bishop of the Eastern Eparchy. He was elevated to Archbishop of Toronto in 1983. Then in 1985, the 17th Sobor of the UOCC selected Wasyly to be its Metropolitan and Primate with the honorific "His Beatitude," and he will be the last Hierarch to hold that title in the UOCC, as only Primates of Autocephalous and Autonomous Churches traditionally hold that title. As Primate, he was the spiritual leader of the Ukrianian Orthodox Church of Canada and chancellor of its seminary, St. Andrew's College. He was known to be very close with the Church's youth, who affectionatly called him "the Met." He was a strong leader who was known to be very kind, and he had something in common with all of the Church's membership throughout the country (due to the fact that he was born in Ukraine, grew up in Saskatchewan, and was a parish priest in Ontario for over 30 years).

Repose

Metropolitan Wasyly reposed on January 10, 2005, and his funeral took place on January 21-22 at Holy Trinity Metropolitan Cathedral in Winnipeg. There were many Orthodox Christians of many nationalities who attended the funeral services, including eight bishops. Of note were the appearances of His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago, who represented Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, and His Eminince Archbishop Mark of Suma (UOC-MP) as the official representitive of Patriarch Aleksy II and the Moscow Patriarchate. He is buried at Glen Eden Cemetery. He had three sons with his wife Parskeviya: Eugene (who has served on the Church's consistory board twice), Yaroslaw and Emil.